DEGRITTER ULTRASONIC RECORD CLEANING MACHINE: THE BEST VINYL CLEANER IN THE WORLD TODAY?

A high-end bespoke ultrasonic vinyl cleaning machine, Paul Rigby cleanses his grooves with bubbles, Degritter style

To read the website version of this review, click: https://theaudiophileman.com/degritte...

DEGRITTER ON...
1: Fears of Vinyl Damage:
“In 2017 we ran some long exposure tests with our ultrasonic generator and studied the record surface under an electron microscope in University of Tartu and found that when water temperature is managed and the record is moved in the cleaning medium then no damage can be seen on the record surface (moving the record prevents hot spots). From then on we have implemented small band Frequency Sweep functionality on our ultrasonic amplifier that further improves the cleaning energy distribution and prevents any hot spots from forming.”

2: The Choice of 120kHz:
“The higher the frequency the more delicate the cleaning. With smaller bubbles you have less kinetic energy that you can release on the bubble collapse. If you put a sheet of aluminium foil in 40kHz and 120kHz ultrasonic tanks, then the one in 40kHz tank will develop holes much quicker than the one in 120kHz tank.
In order to use 120kHz frequency, we had to design our ultrasonic amplifier from scratch as there were very few off-the-shelf products around. Available units were very expensive and also they would not suit our application.
The second issue was where to put the frequency generators. The things that generate bubble growth, “In general purpose cleaners, the transducers are attached at the bottom of the water tank and the cleaning energy is strongest near the bottom. In our device we wanted to address the flat surfaces of the record and had to design a tank that directs the cleaning energy onto the record surfaces.”

3: Reliability:
“Firstly, the initial water level sensor that was detecting if water is pumped out from the ultrasonic cleaning tank deteriorated over time and required cleaning by the user for it to work properly. In July 2019 we replaced it with a maintenance-free solution that has not had problems.
We were not content with the pumps we used in the machine in 2019 as some of these stopped working on the machines. All of the pumps were replaced with a new model from a new manufacturer at the end of 2019.
Machine software was improved to make it more foolproof and we also gave it an overhaul with larger fonts to improve readability in the middle of 2019.
“Of the initial motors we used for revolving the record, some had problems with working in an environment with high humidity and they ceased working properly. Resulting in record that was not revolving. In August-September 2019 these were replaced with a new model."

4: Max Water Bath Level
"The Max level on the water tank was added to the water tank to aid the user when filling the tank. Unfortunately it was added to a level that is a bit too low and having more water in the machine is beneficial. The water tanks are produced with plastic injection molding that requires large initial investments when the moulds are created. In a common appliance the initial investments would be covered by hundreds of thousands of pieces that are being produced this way. With Degritter our manufacturing power is lower and having injection moulded parts is large initial expense. Because of this we have not yet managed to remove the Max label from the tank.”

5: The Card Label Jig
“We do not expect our users to adjust the water level very often. In most cases this will be set and left as is. Still, a sturdier material may be beneficial and we will consider this for the future.”

Cleaning:
1. Remove the rubber gasket. This is a rubber collar that fits loosely around the upper slot.
2. Clean the ultrasonic tank sides with a toothbrush. The brush can be wetted in isopropyl alcohol (IPA).
3. Once the scrubbing is done, follow it up with one Quick wash cycle (no drying) with pure distilled water.
4. Add about 100-200ml of vinegar to the distilled water and run five Quick wash cycles (again without drying).
5. Replace the vinegar solution with pure distilled water and run three Quick washing cycles to rinse off the machine.

NOTES:
DIY Filters: Utilising filter foam – used in aquariums – you just need to cut out a ‘Wotsit’-shaped filter. There are a variety of tools to do the job from sharpened copper pipe to specialist craft tools.

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Ultrasonic Cleaning demo:    • Ultrasonic Cleaning Demonstration  

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OTHER CREDITS
Old Bossa by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution
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Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/